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I just want to ask peoples thoughts on this. I am all for CHL carrying at the fair, espically as an exercise of 2nd ammendment rights. But how many would actually use their firearm if a situation arrises? I would be very hesistant on pulling my gun, even if some nut was going crazy and actually shooting somone. My thinking is this is a crowded area, and there are alot of police officers there. In the event of a shooting, they police are going to go to Active shooter mode. If I pull my gun and shoot the bad guy, officer comes around the corner, sees me shooting....well, I'm going to get shot myself by the officer.

I play this through my head all the time, and in a public place the odds are going to be stacked against you. I have made a choice that I will not pull my gun to defend anyone else but me and my family/friends. Too much liablity and quite honestly, it's not my job to protect other people.

I am just interested in other people's view points on this.

I agree with you completely. I would put myself between my family and the shooter and move us as quickly as possible away from the threat. If that was not possible the hand that was on my weapon would then draw and begin to reduce the threat.

magillapd wrote:I have made a choice that I will not pull my gun to defend anyone else but me and my family/friends. Too much liablity and quite honestly, it's not my job to protect other people.

And there is the answer to your own question. That's why you carry at the State Fair and other public places.

While it would be easy to think being at the fair means being surrounded by people--maybe packed like sardines in line for the Texas Star or standing 3-deep along the parade route--it isn't all that hard to be in a fringe area and rather secluded. Go on an off-day and wander over to see the parade floats in their storage barn or walk out to the car late at night or go to a bathroom that isn't frequented that much. A person with ill intent needs you to be secluded enough to do what it is he wants and be gone in 30 seconds. That's it. And with the masses a few yards away, it is easy to blend right in and never be found again.

If I carried and had a firearm on me and believed mine or my family's lives were in imminent danger, the fact that it was at the fair where only happy sunshiny memories are supposed to be made would not weigh into my decision on whether or not I would use it.

Its not so much as fear of something happening inside the fair, as the walk to and from the vehicle. Not exactly a great part of town.

In an active shooter situation I'm getting me and mine behind cover preferably allowing to get distance and get clear. In a crowded place like that I'd only consider using my weapon if there were absolutely no other alternatives, ie got cornered and a gunman was advancing.

The safest for me and mine is if the shooter is dead. If I have a decent shot, I would probably take it. If he's not within sight, I am not apt to go hunting him down.

I play this through my head all the time, and in a public place the odds are going to be stacked against you. I have made a choice that I will not pull my gun to defend anyone else but me and my family/friends. Too much liablity and quite honestly, it's not my job to protect other people.

My thoughts exactly!

I can't tell you how many runs I made to the fair park, surrounding parking or the associated neighborhood but I can tell you when CHL first came out they weren't wanding people and the incident rate dropped dramatically. AFTER 9-11 they used that as an excuse to scan people and restrict carrying of CCW's at the fair (though I somehow managed to get by their crack security forces) and the very first year, there was a shooting in the fair. The spin mill said the bullet came from outside and somehow traveled all the way across to the crowded midway striking a young lady in the back of the leg

With the law change the rate dropped again. Then there was the gestapo like information gathering which seems to have gone away, finally and hopefully for good.

In the fifteen years or so (first kid on the block with his CHL) I have had my hand on my weapon four times and drawn once. Two condition reds were at the fair parking lot (the police beat us out of the fair) and the Exxon across the street. At that one a DPS there was ready too and we had already made eye contact and triangulated. That situation quickly deescalated quickly and I left without completing my purchase and had to listen to the wife's displeasure all the way home.

The point being is it is a horrible area and though things have improved inside the fair due to a combination of factors, after hours (Midway), to/from parking and not to mention the commute out of the area is fraught with hazard. It is legal, the process has been streamlined and IMHO if you have a CHL and don't carry while attending with your family...shame.